Interview With Ty and Zane

With the imminent release of Divide & Conquer, Book 4 in the Cut & Run series, I asked fans of Ty and Zane to come up with questions for the two FBI Special Agents. The response was overwhelming and because there were so many questions they couldn’t answer all of them. Sorry!! There was a definite trend and Zane had better ante up that present. 🙂

Ty and Zane sent me a few sketches of how they see themselves and I took the liberty of including them here. Hope you like them, if not, Ty said you can make your own damn pictures and he would be happy to tell you where to put them. 😆

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Melanie has a couple of comments and a questionI want to see more love & passion between you two.

Ty: Get in line, honey.Zane: More passion? We’re not passionate enough?Ty: I think she means you should bring me flowers.Zane: Somehow flowers don’t seem like your kind of thing. Now, firearms or gummi bears, those are things you love.Ty: Gummi bears and ammo. There’s your love and passion. Next question.

Will you ever get over your stubborn attitudes & just do the happily ever after thing or at least the forever thing?

Ty: She said stubborn, she must be talking to Zane.Zane: Pot, kettle.Ty: Shut up. Zane I think you should give Ty the Christmas present you bought him while on the cruise; I think he’d really like it!

Zane: I hope he likes it. I just haven’t decided when to give it to him. It got a little crazy there at the end of the cruise. Maybe his birthday.Ty: What Christmas present?Zane: You didn’t hear that.Ty: I kind of did.

Sirius has a couple of tough questions for Zane

Do you love Ty? As in “right now”, not in the future Or do you still love your dead wife more than Ty?

Ty: Zing!Zane: When you’re talking about the two most important people I’ve had in my life, I don’t think you can compare them like that. It’s not even remotely the same.

Aunt Lynn is happy you boyz are back in town and she has two questions. Here’s the first:

I’m curious if either of you think that your coworkers/supervisors are on to you.

Ty: I think if anyone was on to us they’d have said something, either to warn us or turn us in.Zane: I don’t think anyone we work with every day suspects anything. Even if they did, I’m not sure the response would be all bad, except the official line, maybe.Ty: It would be bad.Zane: I thought I was the pessimist in this relationship.Ty: You’re the pessimist, I’m the realist.

From Chris

Ty and Zane, I’ve often wondered if it’s part of the danger of being caught that keeps things exciting for you two. Do you think anything would change between you guys if your secret affair was discovered by your co-workers?

Ty: I don’t think anyone would care, I just know we’d be separated and then Zane would get his ass shot off on his first case without me.Zane: Hey!Ty: How’s that for danger?

Kkm wants to knowGuys – what is your opinion on love? How do you define it? Have you ever been in it? How do you live it?

Zane: It’s messy. Personal experience talking here.Ty:You’re such a dick. Answering a serious question with a joke, I am shocked.Zane: I’m not joking.Ty: You’re messy, shut up.Zane: To me, loving someone is when it hurts to breathe just thinking about them not being there. It’s the focus of your life: why you work, why you play, why you get up each morning, why you risk your life. It’s everything.Ty: I think love is something that can’t really be defined in a sweeping statement. That’s what makes it so tricky. But the closest I can get to answering is to say that you wake up and your first thought is of that person. Something funny or weird or horrible happens to you, and the first thing you think is ‘I need to tell him about this.’ It’s easy and it’s comfortable, and if it’s not, what’s the point?

Jamie is very directI want to know if Ty has ever been with any of his marine buddies (sexually that is).

Ty: Uhh… well there were two men in service, but they weren’t my buddies. Technically. Well, one was a Marine. One guy from the SAS was… it’s a long story, that’s… wow, that is not any of their business! What the hell?Zane: Want me to smack you if you start to answer again without thinking first?Ty: Yes, please.

Jennifer has underwear on her mind:Do you prefer Boxers, Briefs, or commando?

Zane: On Ty? Commando.Ty: I like commandos in briefs, if that counts….

From LSK

Ty, are you going to tell Zane about the side jobs and are you still doing them?

Ty: How the hell do they know about those?!Zane: I know about those jobs, so what if they know about them?Ty: Because I’m sleeping with you!

Reggie has obviously been giving a lot of thought to her questions:Zane — Tell me about a favorite event of your childhood?

Zane: Probably the first time I rode a horse. Actually, it was a pony. My Granddaddy Zach got him for me for my fifth birthday. It obviously was thrilling since I still remember it.

Who has had the most influence in your life and why?

Zane: That’s difficult question to answer. Obviously some people have been more important to me than others, and I’m sure it’s pretty clear that Ty has had a huge effect on my life in just the past year. But I think I’d have to say Jack Tanner, if we’re talking the single most influential force on me. I met him at a time in my life where I had no clue what I was doing. I was away from home for the first time, newly married, and let myself get talked into going to the Academy, and for awhile it was almost a sure thing that it had been the worst choice I’d ever made. Jack took me aside and told me that you’re the only one who can make yourself into what you want to be. If I wanted to be an FBI agent, I could do it. But I had to decide and commit to it or I’d fail. Once I got that straight in my head, he taught me a lot of what makes me the agent I am today.Ty: That’s okay, I’ll just be sitting over here, not answering questions.Zane: I listed you first. I don’t need to wax poetic about it.

What hobbies/interests do you wish you had time for?

Zane: There’s nowhere around here to go horseback riding. I’d really like to go dancing, but it never seems to work out. I used to collect mystery and suspense novels. Loved them. That’s actually why I talked to the Bureau recruiter when he called. I still read a lot, that’s what I do for relaxation.

Jen also has a host of questionsDo the two of you have similar interests in music/tv/movies?

Ty: Sort of.Zane: Mostly. I just haven’t found the time to follow a TV show or even go to the theater, so I stick to Netflix. You’d think with the shit we deal with we wouldn’t like action movies, but Die Hard is still one of my favorites.Ty: I love Westerns. But my absolute favorite movie ever is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The Ghost and the Darkness is a close second.Zane: But he says John Wayne movies aren’t real Westerns.Ty: They’re not.Zane: I like classic rock, and Ty listens to just about anything. I never know what I’ll hear when I get to the house.Ty: You’ll hear awesome.Zane: Or Captain and Tennille.Ty: Patent lie.

What’s the one movie that is guaranteed to make both of you laugh out loud?

BrittneyTy, do you have a guilty pleasure television show you like to watch?

Ty: Yes. There’s this show called Deadliest Warrior. They take warriors from the past or present and pit them against another one, like a knight versus a pirate, or Attila the Hun versus Alexander the Great. They go through all these explanations of how they fought and with what weapons, and then they run it through this bullshit computer simulator and declare a winner. It’s like crack, I can’t help myself. And they run marathons all the time!Zane: You like Top Shot too. It’s pretty cool.Ty: They got to use an 1877 Bulldog Gatling gun!

Zane, same question

Zane: I got the whole X-Files series from Netflix.

Do you often have to compromise on dinner choices or which house to stay at?

Ty: Zane’s apartment is crap, so no. And I’ll eat anything as long as it’s not Italian.Zane: His bed is bigger.Ty: And filled with awesome.Zane: And yeah, he’ll eat anything–depending on his mood.

What’s the one thing that either of you can say or do that will always make the other laugh non-stop?

Ty: Every time he tries to be sexy. Never fails. Hi-larious!Zane: Gee, thanks. I’ll make sure to laugh loud enough to get the team’s attention the next time you tip backwards out of your office chair. For about the fiftieth time.Ty: It has a broken wheel!Zane: It wouldn’t be broken if you wouldn’t treat it like a bean bag.Ty: I’ll show you a bean bag when we get out of here.

Finally, Zane, you come from a previously wealthy background, and Ty, you are well traveled. If money, time, and location had no limits what would be your dream vacation together?

Zane: Let’s see. Big cities, mountains, cruise ships, and places with sand are out. What does that leave?Ty: Nebraska.Zane: There’s nothing there but corn.Ty: You’d be there.Zane: That’s sappy and I love it, baby.

KoaruFor Ty – Do you ever see yourself getting married to Zane?

Ty: I try not to picture the future because it never happens the way I see it going. But having said that; yes, I see myself being happy with Zane for the rest of my life.

And maybe getting a pet?

Ty: That picture is entirely unnecessary. Seriously? Who is the sadist in charge of this thing?!

Zane: If he got one? It would be a cat. Someone tell me how that makes sense!Ty: It’s about respect, Zane. When something tries to eat you, it earns your respect! And they’re so cute when they’re little and fuzzy….Zane: Thus the picture, I’m sure.

From MariTy and Zane, do you have any advice for a rookie FBI agent?

Ty: Don’t get shot.Zane: Watch out for your partner.Ty: Make sure your partner doesn’t get shot.Zane: Don’t shoot your partner. Unless he really deserves it. And then only a little.

What is the best cat joke you have heard so far?

Ty: Oh God. I don’t get jokes so much as puns, which is fan-fucking-tastic. They call me Meow Mix. They accuse me of letting the cat out of the bag. They call my mistakes “catastrophes.” It’s never-ending.Zane: The kitty litter in your locker was funny.Ty: Not from my end.

From ReggieZane– You mentioned that a situation with a case was your initial time with a guy and you decided you liked it. What is the story with that?

Zane: I was undercover, working in Miami in an operation to shut down a major drug smuggler from Colombia. Colombians party hard, and I was at an upscale hotel when several escorts showed up, both male and female. To be totally honest? I don’t really remember much about what led up to it or making the decision to do it. The drugs and drinks were both plentiful and free that night. I lucked out, obviously, had a good time, kept the guy’s number for awhile.Ty: And I’m the one that takes heat for my sleeping habits.Zane: Because everyone thinks you’re a tomcat. And you encourage it.Ty: Cat joke.Zane: Every chance I get.

VictoriaTy, do you still need to sleep with a nightlight?

Ty: No. I can deal with darkness now, it’s just the idea of dark enclosed spaces that freak me right out.

Zane, how are you doing with your resolution to take better care of yourself?

Zane: Aside from my fuck-up on the cruise ship, pretty well, I think. Clean and sober, not even smoking. I’m going to AA when I can, at least once a week right now, maybe twice, depending on work. And I talk to Deuce at least that often, get sort of a reality check. I’m not going to lie and say it’s all easy, because it’s not. I fight it every day.

Ty, does Deuce really charge you for “talks” he has with Zane?

Ty: Yes! To make it ‘official’ for the Bureau paperwork. And the little shitface charges $200 an hour! We’ll see what I charge him when he needs someone to kill something for him….Zane: He’d just call me instead.

From PeteTo Zane – Do you want to show Ty how skilled you are with your knife?

Ty: That’s a sex question, isn’t it? Sounds like a sex question.Zane: I try not to think about comparing us like that, because the truth is he’d probably kick my ass and show me up, whether it’s knives, guns, or bare hands. I figure I can hold my own and then some, depending. Also, there’s just really no way to “show” someone how good you are with a knife without it getting bloody.

NikiWhat did you guys want to be “when you grow up”?

Ty: I never wanted to be anything but a Marine. I would have settled for being a pro tight end.

Ty: They say we’re used less than a wide receiver, but we take cleaner passes than a running back. We work well with the long snapper, we pull off the handoff without a hitch, and we can still sack the quarterback if we feel like it. What, more wordplay? Bring it! :ugly:

Ty, Wave again – Obviously a sore point. You didn’t have to get so shitty. Sheesh!!!. Zane: I was steered in the direction of being a lawyer pretty much all my life. It never occurred to me to think any different until I was approached by the Bureau recruiter. I do remember wanting to be a rodeo rider when I was a kid.Ty: He’s a natural-born rodeo clown.

BrianTy, if it hadn’t been for that life/death incident at the railing/the assignment in general, would you have told Zane the you loved him?

Ty: I would have eventually. That just hastened it along.

Zane, where do you keep the pendant you bought Ty?

Zane: In a dresser drawer at the apartment where he won’t find it by accident. I should probably move it somewhere safer. It’s ended up in my overnight bag a couple of times, wrapped up in a T-shirt.

Ty, do you still have the ring the bureau cut off your finger?

Ty: I do.

Ty, Zane is getting rid of drugs/alcohol/smoking, do you ever consider giving up your dangerous side jobs? Do you wish Zane would ask you to do so?

Ty: I don’t know if I wish he would because I do truly love them, but I did give them up for a time. I haven’t been called on one for a while. If he asked, I’m not sure how I’d handle it.

Who’s the better cook?

Ty: I am the better cook. But I hate cooking with fiery passion, so I guess we have to say Zane is the better cook.Zane: Considering I’ve never seen you do anything but grill a steak, I’d say I cook better since I actually cook.Ty: That’s what I just said.

And, if you knew the other would never find out, what would you honestly say is the one thing you miss most about the other person when you are apart?

Ty: I love the way he smells. I miss it when he’s gone.Zane: His presence. It’s magnetic and tangible. He’s scarily quiet sometimes, but he’s always moving, tapping, twitching, shifting. It’s comforting, especially since I spent so many years alone, and miss it–and him–when he’s away.

Also from Aunt Lynn:I also wonder if Ty plans to tell his parents soon.

Ty: I’d like to think I could do it, but I’m not sure I have the nerve to tell them the truth.

ChristianaTy, do you ever think there will be a time when you will introduce Zane to your family properly? I mean as your lover and how do you feel your father especially will react?

Ty: The thought scares the living crap out of me, I try not to dwell on it.

Zane, what happened to make you become the black sheep of your family and will you ever introduce Ty to them and rebuild a closer relationship with them?

Zane: I wouldn’t call myself a black sheep. I’d say I’m more like a mustang. There was a specific plan for my life, and when I wouldn’t go along with it, it was like a minor nuclear holocaust. The fallout is still happening, though I’m in touch with my sister again. She knows about Ty as my partner at the Bureau, but that’s it for now. As for any more than that, I don’t know.

Do you and Zane have an equal relationship or as close as you possibly can with both your baggage or is there a dom/sub element involved and who is who?

Ty: I think we’re pretty equal. I have stretches where I wish he’d go all Dom on me, but I wouldn’t say it’s prevalent. Much.Zane: I’ll have to remember you said that.Ty: Write it down, baby.Zane: Yeah, we’re pretty equal. Sometimes depends on who’s more stressed that day.

Where you both are in your relationship is it sometimes hard to separate who you are outside of work and who you are at work?

Ty: Not one bit.Zane: No. I’ve been living that way for a long time.

What would you define your relationship as? e.g. friends with benefits or someone that you see yourself sharing your life with etc.

Ty: It’s definitely more than friends with benefits. Much more.Zane: I agree.

Deuce did not seem to think that either of you really liked each other even though he knew Ty was in love. What would you say to that?

Ty: No one likes Zane. He’s a dick.Zane: Good thing you’re an ass, then, huh?Ty: Wow. That one? Again? Can’t think of a new one?Zane: Classics never go out of style.Ty: That’s what you said about ‘walking shorts’.

Ty will you ever ask Zane to move in or are you both happy with the current arrangements or is this type of decision dependent on certain factors? Such as work, family etc.

Ty: I don’t know. Right now we’re still figuring out the yours vs. ours parts of life. I think until we get that down, there’s no next step.

Sagajo

Zane: What caused the rift with your family? Did it happened because you chose to be an FBI agent or because of your wife or something else?

Zane: All of the above and a huge dose of blind single-mindedness. Not mine–theirs.Ty: Blind single-mindedness… like that doesn’t describe you perfectly.Zane: Where do you think I got it?

Zane, Give that present to Ty!

Ty: What the hell present are they talking about?!Zane: You’ll find out. Eventually.

IssaTy, in Sticks & Stones it was alluded to that you did not like it when Zane got too close to you “down there.” Are your really uncomfortable with receiving BJs?

Ty: Nooooo. I know that Zane has never tried it, so when he gets experimental it makes me tense for him. Probably silly, but… I don’t know. Let’s just say I am more accustomed to the role of the top and both of us are in new territory sometimes.

Ty, in Fish and Chips, during the question and answer session, you were thinking of a question you wanted to ask Zane, but chickened out because you were afraid of the answer. Any hints on what you were thinking of asking?

Ty: Until Zane asks me to tell him, my lips are sealed.

Ty, why do you not have much respect for alcoholism or addictions in general?

Ty: I have a great deal of respect for the battle. Zane misunderstood my initial sarcasm when referring to the term ‘recovering alcoholic’ because I know no one ever recovers. It’s a battle an addict fights every day, and if I know anything, it’s about battling.

Zane, if Ty hadn’t had that heart to heart with you in the brig of the cruise ship, would you have decided to go to AA and otherwise take care of yourself?

Zane: That was decided the morning I woke up after the dunking. After Ty made that effort, I knew I’d do whatever it takes not to disappoint him again.

Zane: Horseback riding in Miami is impractical. It’s also a hell of a rush and makes for a quick getaway.Ty: A quick, kill you dead getaway.Zane: Like I’ve said, I’m not giving up the Valkyrie. Would you give up your Bronco?Ty: Leave her out of this, Zane.

Wave: Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the time you took out of your tight schedule to answer your fans’ questions. No Ty, that was not a play on words re “tight end.” Are you still pissed at me about that tight end joke? You shouldn’t hold grudges. :nuts: Looking forward to seeing you in Divide & Conquer.

Ty: You can thank the Bureau and their freaking PR department. I think our fans see too much of us as it is. We’re full frontal in these things! Zane: Don’t worry, baby. I’ve got your back.Ty: Shut up, Zane.I thought this was supposed to be something to do on our day off, I feel like I’ve done more work on this stupid interview than when I watch you fill out forms all day! And what is up with the uber-personal questions?!Zane: Someone get him some Gummi worms or Cheetos or something.Ty: They’re asking sex questions! Do we have to do this every time one of these freaking books comes out? I’d rather be shot at!Zane: He’s okay, we’re just going to take a little timeout and he’ll be fine.

And that’s a wrap. :whip: :curse:

Despite being such a grouch, Ty says he would be prepared to answer follow-up questions from the fans — if Zane would let him — just don’t ask any more about his sex life. :blush: :tease: Zane says that he doesn’t have any conditions if you wish to talk to him about horse riding. 😀 So apparently you now have carte blanche.